COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State 2021 soccer recruiting class was reduced to 18 players after three-star cornerback Devonta Smith of La Salle High School in Cincinnati decided to retire.
This decision comes after an update to his 247Sports profile that sends all the crystal balls to Alabama. He is the first player in the recruiting class of 2021 to leave the state of Ohio.
Smith joined the class in March as one of La Salle’s five defensive runners and second along with teammate Jaylen Johnson, who is also a three-star defensive runner. He is rated the 400th player and 30th cornerback in the class, but the Buckeyes, and now the Crimson Tide, have believed in his potential. His departure leaves Johnson and tight end Sam Hart as the only three-star commitments.
The state of Ohio still has the number 1 recruiting classes in the country.
This decision comes with two other defensive goals for the state of Ohio that will come off the board in the next two weeks. The first is June 30, when Virginia’s No. 1 Tony Grimes will pick from the Buckeyes, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas A&M. Next up is California four-star cornerback Jamier Johnson, who will choose between Ohio State and six other schools on July 3.
Here’s a look at Ohio’s 2021 recruiting class as-is:
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